MY BEAUTY AND SKINCARE ESSENTIALS

  Makeup and, well anything to do with, skincare has always been way down at the bottom of my priority list, until now. (I know, I think that's rather bizarre too!) Over the past few months or so I have uncovered a newfound love for products that ultimately, when introduced into a daily or weekly beauty routine, provide you with the utmost feel-good feeling. 

  Today, I thought that I would share a sneak peek into my go-to, mostly affordable, products that appear frequently in my daily, and weekly, routines. 

HANDS 

  With all that we’re putting our hands through at the moment with the excessive: sanitising, washing, and scrubbing, it would be fair to say that they need all the extra love that we can offer! 

  I adore the 30ml tubes of Hand Cream from The Body Shop. They cost £5 each, and I’m pretty sure that you can grab them in-store on their 3 for 2 offer, so you can stock up on a few different scents rather than having to commit to purchasing the full 100ml tube. 
 You can purchase an array of scents that all serve to hydrate your hands and, more specifically, care for your dry or sensitive skin. The Hand Cream’s formula has a light and non-greasy texture that, when applied, absorbs into the skin quickly. This is obviously ideal for an on-the-go hydration boost.
  I currently own 2 of their seasonal scents: Warm Vanilla, and Vanilla Pumpkin- you’ll notice my Vanilla obsession through this post, ha!

  Another essential of mine for battling back against the hand sanitiser is the BarryM Grape NS2 Nail Shot. I purchased mine originally from Superdrug for £3.99, but you can currently purchase one directly from BarryM’s website with 25% off by using their code ‘PAYDAY25’. Result! 

  Massaging the oil onto my cuticles daily has left them feeling nourished, hydrated, and ultimately my cuticles look glossy and whole lot healthier. 

FEET 

  We often don’t look down enough to acknowledge our feet so it's easy to look past them in our skincare routines. 

  I was on the hunt for a cream, nothing too fancy, that would help restore the moisture on my feet. Dehydrated skin is definitely harder to combat in the colder months, so if you combine the cold with running every other day then we are in trouble...

  I purchased this cheap and cheerful Beauty Formulas Intensive Foot Cream from Savers (£1) to help sooth the skin and greet it with a much-needed moisture boost. The formula contains menthol and peppermint which smells lovely, and it is fast-absorbing when massaged into the skin. This of course is a bonus if you don't have the time to sit around for hours waiting for it soak in.

  For me, this product proves that you don’t have to spend extortionate amounts of money to take care of your skin.  

HAIR 

  Up until about a month ago I just used to follow the basic hair routine: shampoo, then conditioner, but this still left my hair looking sad and longing for some nourishment. When I discovered Garnier’s Aloe Vera Hair Food I just knew that it would do the trick! 

  I purchased mine from Savers for £3.49, which is a bargain considering it’s meant to cost £6.99, and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that it’s worth every penny (even at the more costly price of £6.99). After the first wash alone my hair was left looking silkier, healthier, and bouncier, while feeling smoother than it ever has done!

  Garnier have numerous Hair Masks as apart of their Hair Food range so it would be effortless to find a product best-suited to your hair type.

BODY 

SHOWER

  Do you remember when I said that I have a Vanilla-scent obsession? Well, here we go again. 
  I got these Warm Vanilla products: Shower Gel (250ml), and Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub (250ml), as apart of a Seasonal Gift Bag for Christmas. 
  Alike their Hand Cream’s you can purchase a variety of scents: Satsuma, Olive, Shea, for an array of skin types. A 250ml bottle of Shower Gel will set you back a small fortune of £6.50, and the cost of the Body Scrubs varies from £6 to £22. In my eyes as a little of the silky-smooth formula of the Body Wash and the Exfoliator’s gentle granulated texture really do go a long way, they are definitely worth every penny. 
  I honestly do not have anything negative to say about these products. When combined the products harmonise to create moment of bliss. What more could you want? 

POST-SHOWER 

  Garnier Summer Body (Dark): In need of a self confidence boost? Smother it on. Got a post-lockdown party to go to? Smother it on. In need of a Winter tan? Smother it on. Basically, just make up any old excuse to treat yourself to this product.
  This has, and will always, been a solid body care STAPLE of mine. The Gradual Tan’s vegan formula is fast absorbing and provides you with: radiant, hydrated, and sun-kissed skin- even in the gloomiest of months. I love how this product combines hydration with gradual tanning, which is super handy, and it enables buildable coverage. 
  You can purchase this product from the majority of supermarkets. In turn the different shops, almost always, have a good offer on so be sure to keep an eye out for a good bargain. I paid £3.99 for the 400ml bottle which is a reasonable price considering how long the bottle lasts!

  Body Milk and Body Yoghurt: If I’m being honest, I think that the majority of products that fall within these categories will serve the purpose of providing you with the desired soft skin feeling, but these two are my personal favourites that I’m using at the moment: The Body Shop Warm Vanilla (£9 for 200ml), and Yog Nog from LUSH. 
  Although they can be on the pricier side, investing in a well-distinguished brand’s products (like The Body Shop and LUSH) will certainly pay off: the smell will linger on your skin for a longer period of time, the formula will likely be less sticky, and they will leave your skin moisturised for a longer period of time.

FACE

  My sister recommended Carbon Theory’s Charcoal and Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleaning Bar, she’s a little skincare guru and has managed her acne so well, and it is a little bar of actual MAGIC! You can purchase the bar from stores such as: Waitrose and Superdrug, or online through Carbon Theory, Beauty Bay, and Amazon for £6. 

  I’ve had this bar for around 6 months now, I’ve been washing my face with it twice a day, and there’s still just under half of the bar left. It’s literally never-ending. (I'll spare you the picture of this one as It's seen better days hah!) 

  I’d say that my skin is relatively ‘normal’, despite the redness, and after just the first wash my skin was left looking brighter, refreshed, and hydrated. 

  Moisturiser and Hydrating Cream: Well, they do say that sometimes simple is best, and, in this case, Simple really does do it best! These Simple products, when applied hand in hand, offer sensitive skin a comforting hydration-hug, and, let’s be honest, we’re definitely in need of this after the long cold months we’ve endured. They can be quite pricey if you purchase them from some supermarkets, but keep an eye our for when they are on offer: Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Savers. I’ve just recently stocked up on these products from Morrisons as they were on offer. 

  Eye Cream: All the worry and stress that COVID-19 has brought our way had resulted in me looking like I needed to sleep for 4 days straight. My eyes looked so dull, heavy, and sad. They needed some serious love and attention. I’m sure many of you can relate to this too. 
  I purchased a couple of Eye Creams- one high end and one more affordable: Simple Soothing Eye Balm (£4, currently £2), and Origins GinZing (£18.50). 
  Simple: After applying this lightweight and refreshing formula my tired eyes were left feeling relaxed and the puffiness and burning sensation was reduced. I’d day that this product is a great option for an affordable Eye Cream. 
  Origins: Okay so, I wouldn’t say that this product does anything extraordinary to justify the price increase, but you pay for the brand I guess! One thing I do love about this product is the brightening tint. When massaged into the skin under the eyes it immediately reduced dark circles and depuffs. 

  Mists: For a few years now I have been using the MAC Prep + Prime religiously in my skincare routine. You can purchase it directly from the MAC website itself for £22 or other retail stores (John Lewis). 
  I love using this Mist as apart of my morning skincare routine; one spray of this Mist instantly provides me with a gentle wake-up call, while achieving instant moisture and a hydrated look. 
  I also include this Mist in my makeup routine- that is, when I actually wear makeup at the moment. I have found that it assists setting my makeup and the quality of time that it lasts for. Catch me using this product when the pubs reopen! 
  My sister uses both of these products, she has extremely sensitive skin, and she swears by the Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spray. It is a lot more affordable too than the MAC Mist (£11 on Beauty Bay). 

LIPS

  Question: Who here suffers with chapped lips? No matter what the weather: cold, sunny? If you answered yes to that question, and I’ll be surprised if you didn’t, then I hope you’re carrying a lip balm around with you! 

  My top recommendation, that I honestly couldn’t live without, is the old faithful Vaseline Lip Therapy Tin. You can expect to pay £2 tops for this 20g pot of gold! My favourite by far is the Cocoa Range as the cocoa-enriched formula instantaneous nourishes my lips and leaves them feeling super soft. 

  A new-found love of mine is LUSH’s Honey Lip Scrub (£6.50). Oh my goodness! It is unreal! LUSH’s vegan formula contains nothing but natural ingredients, which is why it, probably, tastes so great (YES! You can eat it too. Bonus.). I use this Lip Scrub as apart of my daily skincare routine and it helps to keep my lips soft by removing any dry and dead skin.

LASHES 

  I have been a loyal Benefit Mascara customer since I was about 12. There’s just something about their Mascara’s that lures me in every time I’m in need of a new one. 

  Back in the day I used to love their ‘They’re Real! Lengthening Mascara’ (£23.50), but I’ve recently converted to their ‘BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara’ (also £23.50). I always apply my Mascara after using my Clinique Eyelash Curler to achieve the greatest volume. 

  When I apply this dramatically volumizing Mascara paired with a fresh coat of my Lip Balm I really do feel like a bad gal! So, I guess that you can say that it does exactly what it says on the tin. 

BROWS 

  If you saw my eyebrows in 2019 you would be HORRIFIED! Just imagine: block colour, way too dark, no hair texture, and just all-round dreadful. In the past year-or-so I have put in order my, let’s call it, eyebrow dilemma to achieve a much more acceptable and natural look. 

  First thing’s first: Eyebrow Tint. I purchased this 'Colourspot Divia 30 Day Eyebrow Tint' (in dark brown), after my sister was raving about it, for a honourable price of £2.99 from Savers. 

  The packaging explains in-depth how to mix up the formula, it provides you with all the tools you need for the job, and it’s so easy to apply. I love it! This Tint has effortlessly helped me to achieve my desired natural brow look and has consequently meant that I don't need to apply an excessive amount of product on top.

  As I am fair-haired, and don’t have the thickest eyebrows, the start of my brows are a bit sparse, I grab my Benefit ‘Precisely My Brow Pencil’ (£22.50) to pencil on some hair-like strokes. This product ensures that I can fulfil my desire of possessing fuller brows. 

  Finally, I love to finish off my look with my Benefit ‘Gimmie Brow+’ (£22.50). (Even if I skip the Brow Pencil stage I will always apply this Eyebrow Gel.) By just applying a simple brush stroke of this product I am able to achieve a defined, full, brow shape that is long-wearing.

  This product would be suitable for most as the Gel comes in a broad range of shades, and the formula can be easily brushed through to build up your look.

  Obviously I’m no expert in this field, I’m just a girl who loves feeling nice (don’t we all hey!), and so I thought I’d write this post for those in need of a little TLC. I hope you enjoyed reading and are feeling optimistic and uplifted after Boris’ big announcement on the 22nd. 

- Hannah x